Continued funding keeps college program running

Tuesday

Jun 19, 2007 at 4:00 AM

By JUNE

CHANDLER-WHITE

Staff Writer

MILLERSBURG -- With funding slated to run out June 30, a program that provides information on financial aid and scholarships to help Holmes Countians pursue college or job training got a reprieve Friday, with news it will get grants funding to keep the program running through the end of the year.

But that doesn't mean College Access Program coordinator Amy Cline is breathing a sigh of relief yet.

Cline learned the CAP program would receive $20,000 from the Ohio College Access Network, an agency that has funded the CAP program since it began in 2002. But Cline is still waiting to hear about $62,500 in additional grants for which she has applied. Those grants are needed if the program is to continue past January, Cline said.

"The whole idea is that OCAN wants their programs to be locally funded and self-supporting," she said, explaining CAP needs the support of the community if it is to continue its work to help people pursue higher education.

In 2006, CAP helped 70 residents go to school, Cline said. Many of them belonged to the first generation of their families to pursue higher education, she said.

In Holmes County, 8.2 percent of the population 25 or older holds a bachelor's degree, as reported in the Decennial Census of 2000. Holmes County has a lower percent of highly educated individuals than the state of Ohio's 21 percent, and a lower percent than United States proportion of 24.4 percent.

Historically, many of Holmes County's higher-paying jobs do not require a four-year degree. But, education is becoming increasingly important, not to get ahead but just to survive, said Job and Family Services Director Dan Jackson.

According to the canned.com Industry Analysis Series, in Holmes County, insurance agencies, brokerages, and related industry jobs pay the highest wages. The average worker in the industry in Holmes County received a wage of $47,816 in 2006. The annual wage is greater than the average industry wage in the State of Ohio of $45,358 and less than the pay for jobs in this industry across the nation of $54,074.

Other high-paying jobs in Holmes County are present in accounting and bookkeeping services, ($42,633), management of companies and enterprises ($41,022), architectural and structural metals manufacturing ($40,009) and offices of physicians ($39,037).

"Those (higher paying) jobs still require additional learning. They require you to get certification and additional education. It may not be a college degree, but those higher paying jobs require those people to be on a continued path of learning," Jackson said.

In May, Cline sent out letters to area businesses and individuals seeking donations to keep the CAP program afloat and to further its goal of self-sufficiency.

"I sent about 430 (letters). So far, I have received around $1,000 (in donations)," Cline said.

She said a second wave of letters will go out in the days ahead.

"In the appeal letter, I put further grants funding is pending but not guaranteed," Cline said, wondering aloud if people who got the letters believe "pending" means the checks from the granting agencies are in the mail. It doesn't, she said.

"You can apply for 100 grants, but that doesn't mean you are going to get any of them," Cline said.

Reporter June Chandler-White can be reached at (330) 674-1811 or e-mail jwhite@the-daily-record.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.